guard at the side of the trail.

"Climb up on the wagon, hospital man," called Noll. "Start ahead,
driver. Squad, by twos, right, forward march."

Then the party started out.

Two of the remaining soldiers were detailed for camp, as usual. The
other enlisted men went off in a hunting party by themselves.

All except Sergeant Hal. He had been invited to go with Lieutenant
Prescott and the latter's friends, and had gladly accepted.

Sanderson, the guide, having been paid by his Naval employers, had
already taken the trail.

"I hope you bring us luck, Dave and Dan," announced Lieutenant Prescott,
as the party started. "We are still far shy of the amount of game we
want to take back to the post."

CHAPTER XXIII

THE UNITED STATES SERVICES FIGHT TOGETHER

FOR more than an hour Midshipman Darrin and Sergeant Overton had been
away from the rest of the party, seeking tracks or other signs of wild
game.

"Sergeant," spoke Midshipman Darrin, at last, "I hope you won't be
offended by the opinion I have formed of you."

"What is that, sir?" asked Hal Overton.

"I've been watching you a bit, and I've come to the conclusion that
you're an uncommonly fine and keen soldier."

"Not much chance in that for offense, sir," laughed the boyish sergeant.

"But you're of the Army," said Mr. Darrin, "and I don't know whether you
believe that a sailor is a judge of a soldier."

"Quite naturally, sir," laughed Hal, "I am wholly willing to believe in
the value of your judgment. And I have another reason."

"What is that, Sergeant!"

"Why, sir, you're a very particular friend of Lieutenant Prescott's, and
we men of B company are ready to believe in any one whom Lieutenant
Prescott likes."

"You have another very fine fellow for an officer in your regiment," Mr.
Darrin went on. "And that is Greg Holmes--pardon me, Lieutenant Holmes.
He's as fine, in every way, as Mr. Prescott himself."

"Yes, sir. Lieutenant Holmes is as popular with the men as any officer
in the regiment can be."

"You see," smiled Mr. Darrin reminiscently, "when Dalzell, Prescott,
Holmes and myself were youngsters--or smaller youngsters than we are
now--we were all chums together in the same High School."

Then, finding a ready and appreciative listener Midshipman Darrin
plunged into the recounting of many of the former adventures of that
famous group of schoolboys once known as Dick & Co., whose doings were
fully set forth in the "HIGH SCHOOL B